By CoinWeek News Staff ….
The United States Mint announced its pricing Monday for the 2018 World War I Centennial Commemorative Silver Dollar and the five accompanying silver medals honoring the branches of the U.S. military active in the war. All related 2018 WWI Commemorative products will be available from the Mint starting January 17.
Introductory prices for individual Proof and Uncirculated silver coins are $51.95 and $48.95, respectively. After this initial pricing window closes, the individual coins will be available at regular prices of $56.95 and $53.95.
The five medals will be paired with the World War I commemorative dollar in five distinct sets–one each for the Army (struck at West Point), the Navy (Philadelphia), the Marine Corps (San Francisco), the Coast Guard (Philadelphia), and the Air Service (Denver). There are no plans from the U.S. Mint to offer the medals in one package.
As seen in the table below, each commemorative/medal set will be offered at a regular price of $99.95.
Introductory and regular pricing for all 2018 World War I Centennial Commemorative dollar coins and silver medals from the U.S. Mint
The World War I American Veterans Commemorative Coin Act mandates the production of a maximum of 350,000 silver dollars, in both Proof and Uncirculated finishes, consisting of 90% pure silver. A competition to select the coin’s design was also held, with Utah artist and sculptor LeRoy Transfield winning the competition. His works “Soldier’s Charge” and “Poppies in the Wire” respectively were selected for the obverse and reverse of the 2018 commemorative. Mint engraver Don Everhart, now retired, sculpted both sides of the coin.
The obverse of the Army silver medal features two soldiers on the ground as they slowly make their way across the battlefield. One soldier cuts through the ring of barbed wire surrounding the design while the other is shooting his rifle at an adversarial position to the left. An explosion is seen in the not-too-distant background, behind and to the left of a battered tree. Artistic Infusion Program (AIP) designer Emily Damstra, who has done considerable work for the Royal Canadian Mint, created the obverse, while Don Everhart designed the eagle on the reverse and sculpted both sides.
The Marine Corps medal obverse features two marines in front of several ravaged trees. One stands on the right, alert, with bayonet at the ready while the other marine takes the knee and appears to pray. The phrase “Woods Now U.S. Marine Corps Entirely”, which the commander of the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, Major Maurice E. Shearer, sent to headquarters to signal American victory at the bloody Battle of Belleau Wood, is inscribed beneath them. The reverse depicts the Marine Corps globe and anchor as used during WWI. AIP artist Chris Costello designed the obverse and Mint engraver Michael Gaudioso sculpted it. Mint sculptor-engraver Joseph Menna produced the reverse.
The Navy medal obverse, designed and sculpted by Costello and Gaudioso, features a navy destroyer ship in the middle of combat with kite balloons flying above. The famous phrase “Over There!” appears inscribed over the water at the bottom. The reverse, designed and sculpted by Mint designer Renata Gordon, features a depiction of the U.S. Navy’s WWI-era logo with eagle, shield and crossed anchors.
The Air Service medal obverse portrays a bird’s-eye view superimposed over a side view of the famous French SPAD S.XIII biplane, which many American pilots flew during the war. AIP designer Ronald D. Sanders created the images of the plane, while Joseph Menna designed the reverse (which shows the Air Service logo) and sculpted both sides of the silver medal.
And finally, the Coast Guard medal’s obverse depicts an important scene from the war: the rescue of the crew of the steamship Wellington by the Coast Guard Cutter Seneca. The Coast Guard logo, naturally, adorns the reverse. The entirety of the medal was designed and sculpted by the Mint’s renowned sculptor-engraver Phebe Hemphill.
A $10 surcharge from the sale of each product option goes to the United States Foundation for the Commemoration of the World Wars. You can learn more about the foundation here.
